Is this 50in Plasma Worth it?

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
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edit: This is for plasmas in general, not sure what you're asking.

Pros:
flat panel
Less prone to burn in nowadays
Deep(er) blacks
More color depth/accuracy than LCD

Cons:
Bad for gaming for long hours
Glossy screen, glare issues
no 1080p
Have to watch 4:3 material stretched to whole screen, will cause burn in if you don't
 

MasterOfKtulu109

Senior member
May 16, 2006
205
0
0
Plasma has the best picture quality and the prices have come down considerably.

Don't know much about Philips, but Panasonic makes the best plasma's for the money (from what I've read).
 

mercanucaribe

Banned
Oct 20, 2004
9,763
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Originally posted by: apac
edit: This is for plasmas in general, not sure what you're asking.

Pros:
flat panel
Less prone to burn in nowadays
Deep(er) blacks
More color depth/accuracy than LCD

Cons:
Bad for gaming for long hours
Glossy screen, glare issues
no 1080p
Have to watch 4:3 material stretched to whole screen, will cause burn in if you don't

You forgot a con.. It's 1366x768, so EVERYTHING WILL BE SCALED.
 

Ronin

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2001
4,563
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server.counter-strike.net
Originally posted by: MasterOfKtulu109
Plasma has the best picture quality and the prices have come down considerably.

Don't know much about Philips, but Panasonic makes the best plasma's for the money (from what I've read).

I disagree on the best image quality..I'd steer away from a Plasma and get an LCD..if you have the extra room, DLP is an even better choice.
 

PetunZ

Senior member
Oct 25, 2004
634
0
0
I know Costco has the same TV on sale for the same price. I realize they just changed their return policy, but it would be a good idea to at least check it out before you buy it. This model has pretty much the same specs as my Zenith 50" that I bought last year, and I'm more than happy with my purchase.

I was thinking about getting one of these for my mom since she's in the market. Let me know how it goes if you do decide on buying it.
 

XMan

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
12,513
49
91
How big a room are you planning on putting it in?

That to me is the prime question, whether it's plasma, LCD, CRT, RPTV, or whatever.

Don't be ghetto like my dad and put a 60" RPTV in an 8x8 room. ;)
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: Ronin
Originally posted by: MasterOfKtulu109
Plasma has the best picture quality and the prices have come down considerably.

Don't know much about Philips, but Panasonic makes the best plasma's for the money (from what I've read).

I disagree on the best image quality..I'd steer away from a Plasma and get an LCD..if you have the extra room, DLP is an even better choice.

LOL. Don't know much about video quality I see. DLP is at the bottom as far as quality.
 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
5,026
0
71
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: apac
edit: This is for plasmas in general, not sure what you're asking.

Pros:
flat panel
Less prone to burn in nowadays
Deep(er) blacks
More color depth/accuracy than LCD

Cons:
Bad for gaming for long hours
Glossy screen, glare issues
no 1080p
Have to watch 4:3 material stretched to whole screen, will cause burn in if you don't

You forgot a con.. It's 1366x768, so EVERYTHING WILL BE SCALED.

My plasma has been played for hours on xbox 360 and left on for hours in media center and I have absolutely no burn in. Have watched many hours of unstretched 4:3 and have no ill effects.
 

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
0
71
It does depend on the settings on the plasma, but long hours (6+) with a static image does risk permanent burn in. Would you be willing to risk a $2000 tv against a wife/child/roommate accidentally leaving it on?
 

mercanucaribe

Banned
Oct 20, 2004
9,763
1
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Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Ronin
Originally posted by: MasterOfKtulu109
Plasma has the best picture quality and the prices have come down considerably.

Don't know much about Philips, but Panasonic makes the best plasma's for the money (from what I've read).

I disagree on the best image quality..I'd steer away from a Plasma and get an LCD..if you have the extra room, DLP is an even better choice.

LOL. Don't know much about video quality I see. DLP is at the bottom as far as quality.

So you think interpolating every single pixel is the path to image quality?
 

mercanucaribe

Banned
Oct 20, 2004
9,763
1
0
Originally posted by: Crucial
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: apac
edit: This is for plasmas in general, not sure what you're asking.

Pros:
flat panel
Less prone to burn in nowadays
Deep(er) blacks
More color depth/accuracy than LCD

Cons:
Bad for gaming for long hours
Glossy screen, glare issues
no 1080p
Have to watch 4:3 material stretched to whole screen, will cause burn in if you don't

You forgot a con.. It's 1366x768, so EVERYTHING WILL BE SCALED.

My plasma has been played for hours on xbox 360 and left on for hours in media center and I have absolutely no burn in. Have watched many hours of unstretched 4:3 and have no ill effects.
I'm saying that every video source will be scaled, except a computer set to 1366x768. 1920x1080, 1280x720 will both result in an image where every pixel is interpolated. It's exactly the same as running a 1280x1024 lcd at 1024x768.
 

MasterOfKtulu109

Senior member
May 16, 2006
205
0
0
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Ronin
Originally posted by: MasterOfKtulu109
Plasma has the best picture quality and the prices have come down considerably.

Don't know much about Philips, but Panasonic makes the best plasma's for the money (from what I've read).

I disagree on the best image quality..I'd steer away from a Plasma and get an LCD..if you have the extra room, DLP is an even better choice.

LOL. Don't know much about video quality I see. DLP is at the bottom as far as quality.

So you think interpolating every single pixel is the path to image quality?



I've never heard anyone (people that KNOW tv's) say that DLP has better picture quality than a plasma.
 

Ronin

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2001
4,563
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Guess you don't know people that know TVs then, eh?

It goes DLP>LCD>Plasma. Find people that really know about TVs, and you'll find that's the case.

AND, it's not just about picture quality..there are other variables (and picture quality in itself has multiple).
 

Caesar

Golden Member
Nov 5, 1999
1,686
178
106
Originally posted by: Ronin
Guess you don't know people that know TVs then, eh?

It goes DLP>LCD>Plasma. Find people that really know about TVs, and you'll find that's the case.

AND, it's not just about picture quality..there are other variables (and picture quality in itself has multiple).

Quoted for stupidity.
Take a look around in avsforum and you will find it completely reveresed.
Plasmas have the best PQ period although LCDs are now catching up.
 

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
0
71
Originally posted by: CaesaR
Originally posted by: Ronin
Guess you don't know people that know TVs then, eh?

It goes DLP>LCD>Plasma. Find people that really know about TVs, and you'll find that's the case.

AND, it's not just about picture quality..there are other variables (and picture quality in itself has multiple).

Quoted for stupidity.
Take a look around in avsforum and you will find it completely reveresed.
Plasmas have the best PQ period although LCDs are now catching up.

Plasma definitely has the best quality. I'd say comparing DLP to LCD is apples to oranges, they just have completely different strengths and weaknesses that its impossible to say which is absolutely "better".
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
71,350
30,906
136
No.

Life is too short to waste watching zit cream commercials.

Work is too hard to waste money on 50 inch TVs showing zit cream commercials with pimply faced teenagers at five times life size.

Fifteen hundred bucks could buy round trip tickets to some place you've never been.
 

OVERKILL

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2005
2,103
2
0
Room size is about 18 x 12.

Viewing distance is about 7ft.

I'm also looking at LCD's too.


Any suggestions?
 

Ronin

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2001
4,563
1
0
server.counter-strike.net
Originally posted by: CaesaR
Originally posted by: Ronin
Guess you don't know people that know TVs then, eh?

It goes DLP>LCD>Plasma. Find people that really know about TVs, and you'll find that's the case.

AND, it's not just about picture quality..there are other variables (and picture quality in itself has multiple).

Quoted for stupidity.
Take a look around in avsforum and you will find it completely reveresed.
Plasmas have the best PQ period although LCDs are now catching up.

Quoted for stupidity for not paying attention to what I said.

Idiot.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,855
355
136
What about DLP and LCoS?

IMHO they offer the most bang for your buck.

You can get a really nice JVC HD-HILA 56" 1080p LCoS for $1550 @ CostCo B&M before their new warranty kicks in.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: RossMAN
What about DLP and LCoS?

IMHO they offer the most bang for your buck.

You can get a really nice JVC HD-HILA 56" 1080p LCoS for $1550 @ CostCo B&M before their new warranty kicks in.

That's a pretty hot deal.

Ronin, you have it backwards in terms of video quality. DLP is nice, but it is surpassed by the other technologies for quality - mainly color. Check out a nice plasma, it's color and contrast are leaps and bounds above DLP. I have 5 HDTVs now and can offer a first hand opinion. DLP is surpassed by plasma/lcd panels and LCOS.